(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a valve timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine which variably controls open-or-closure timing of at least one intake valve or at least one exhaust valve in accordance with a driving state.
(2) Description of Related Art
A previously proposed valve timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine equipped in, so-called, a hybrid vehicle is described in a Japanese Patent Application First Publication No. (tokkai) 2010-195308 published on Sep. 9, 2010.
In this previously proposed valve timing control apparatus, an engine startability is improved by holding a valve timing of the intake valve(s) at an intermediate phase position between a most retardation angle position and a most advance angle position when a start of the engine in response to an operation of an ignition switch is carried out and a vibration of the engine at a time of the engine start is reduced by holding the valve timing at a more retardation angle side than the intermediate phase position when the engine is automatically started on a basis of a switching request of a traveling mode of the vehicle.